Tecoma plant named ‘Balbahel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Tecoma  plant named ‘Balbahel’, characterized by its medium yellow-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Tecoma stans.

Variety denomination: ‘Balbahel’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tecoma plant botanically known as Tecoma stans and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balbahel’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during October 2013. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Tecoma cultivars having early continuous flowering and upright, well-branched habits.

The new Tecoma cultivar is the result of self-pollination of the proprietary Tecoma stans breeding selection coded 91-4-1-1-1-2, not patented, characterized by its medium yellow-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated self-pollination during June 2014 in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since June 2014 in Arroyo Grande, Calif. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balbahel’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Tecoma plant:

-   -   1. Medium yellow-colored flowers;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in having more branches per plant and more inflorescences per plant.

Of the many commercially available Tecoma cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is SUN TRUMPETS Yellow ‘Sunhorteki’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,373. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Sunhorteki’ in at least the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower bud color lighter         than plants of ‘Sunhorteki’.     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker leaf color than         plants of ‘Sunhorteki’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have more leaflets per leaf than         plants of ‘Sunhorteki’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balbahel’. The plants were approximately 27 weeks old and grown in three-gallon containers for approximately 12 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were treated as described in the below Detailed Botanical Description.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balbahel’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balbahel’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in August 2018 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 27 week old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. At eight weeks after cuttings were stuck, plants were sprayed with growth regulators B-NINE (daminozide [butanedioic acid mono (2,2-dimethylhydrazide)]) at 2,500 ppm and CYCOCEL (chlormequat (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride) at 750 ppm. Supplemental lighting was used only during rooting of cuttings. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. The plants were grown in three-gallon containers for approximately 12 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Tecoma stans ‘Balbahel’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female and male parents.—Proprietary Tecoma stans breeding             selection coded 91-4-1-1-1-2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Softwood cutting.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 14 to 21 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 5 to 7             weeks.         -   Root description.—Medium thickness.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 14 to 20 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a one-gallon container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Shrub, moderately             vigorous, upright.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 8 (10° F. to 20° F.).         -   Heat tolerance.—Regularly tolerates temperatures as high as             40.6° C. (105 ° F.) in the summer.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 58.0 cm. Width: Approximately 55.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching improves basal             branching. Aspect: Erect to approximately 45° from center.             Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 2 main stems             per plant with approximately 2 lateral branches per stem.         -   Lateral branches.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of             peduncle: Approximately 13.0 cm long. Diameter:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 4.0 cm. Texture of young stems: Glabrous with             lenticels of approximately 1.0 mm in length. Texture of             mature stems: Rough, woody. Color of young stems: 144A with             lenticels of 199B. Color of mature stems: 199A to 199B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Form: Compound, odd-pinnately.             Arrangement: Opposite. Fragrance: None detected. Quantity of             leaflets per leaf: Approximately 5 to 7.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular to stem. Shape of             overall leaf: Ovate. Shape of leaflets: Elliptic to oblong.             Margin: Serrate. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Rounded to oblique.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Length of mature             leaf: Approximately 13.0 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 13.3 cm. Length of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 7.0 cm. Width of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 3.2 cm. Length of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 6.0 cm. Width of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glossy,             rugulous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Color of upper surface of young foliage: 146A with venation             color of 146C. Color of lower surface of young and mature             foliage: Closest to 146B with venation color of 146C. Color             of upper surface of mature foliage: NN137A with venation             color of 146B.         -   Leaf petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of upper and             lower surfaces: 146B to 146C.         -   Leaflet petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.0 mm to sessile.             Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of             upper and lower surfaces: 146B to 146C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering season.—‘Balbahel’ is free flowering under outdoor             growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming in             warm climates.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 5 to 7 days.         -   General description.—Terminal panicles. Aspect: Facing             upward to outward. Fragrance: Slight, sweet in evening.             Quantity per plant: Approximately 8. Diameter: Approximately             10.0 cm. Height: Approximately 13.0 cm. Quantity of flowers             per inflorescence: Approximately 2 to 4 with up to 8 at peak             flower.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Rounded. Aspect: Erect to             about 90° from branch axis. Length: Approximately 5.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous             with lenticels of approximately 1.0 mm in length. Color:             144A with lenticels of 199B. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Salverform, flared trumpet.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 7 to 10 days for bud             to progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Depth:             Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 cm. Color:             1B with 144A at distal end.         -   Corolla.—Depth: Approximately 5.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 4.0 cm.         -   Petal lobes.—Quantity: 5, imbricate. Petals are fused at             base forming a corolla tube. Shape: Ovate. Appearance: Dull,             wavy. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded. Length from throat:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Width: Approximately 2.0 cm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface when first and fully open: 7B. Color of lower             surface when first and fully open: 7C.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 4.0 cm. Diameter at tube             opening: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter at base:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Glabrous. Color of inner surface:             7B tinted with 17B. Color of outer surface: 7A tinted with             17A.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Cup, with five acute tips. Margin of free             portion: Entire, ciliate. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer             surfaces: Glabrous. Color of inner and outer surfaces: 144A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute             angle. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4 per             flower, didynamous, adnate to tube, fixed portion glandular             pubescent, anthers sparsely pubescent. Stamen length: Longer             pair of approximately 2.8 cm and shorter pair of             approximately 2.5 cm. Filament length of fixed portion:             Approximately 1.1 cm. Filament color: 145D. Anther shape:             Divergent. Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther             color: 8D. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 155D.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length:             Approximately 2.8 cm. Stigma shape: Two-lipped. Stigma             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma color: 145B. Style             length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Style color: 145C. Ovary             length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary color: 144B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Tecoma has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tecoma plant named ‘Balbahel’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 